Today I chased the Cattle Egrets in Grays Harbor & Pacific Counties and the Black-headed Gull in South Bend, Pacific County. I dipped on all 3. Not for lack of effort.


But the weather was fabulous today and there were many other birds to enjoy. At Caruthers Slough south of South Bend were 93 SNOW GEESE , including an adult BLUE GOOSE . This is the first Blue Goose I have seen outside of Snohomish and Skagit Counties.
Blue Goose photo: http://www.pbase.com/marvbreece/image/158194412


Traveling on to Bay Center Dike Rd, I found a CLARK'S GREBE among 2 dozen WESTERN GREBES . There was a COMMON LOON and a RED-THROATED LOON . A PEREGRINE FALCON dove seriously and repeatedly on a CROW, to what end I can only guess. An adult BALD EAGLE tried several times in vain to take a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT . In the fields were many many MINIMA CACKLING GEESE and at least a hundred GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE .


Later, at Brady Loop, I stopped at Foster Road to look for sparrows. There were very few, and now one less as a MERLIN zoomed in and took one as I watched. It perched in a tree close by, and with tail and wings spread, mantled its prey.


Also along Brady Loop were a couple of AMERICAN KESTRELS and a handful of AMERICAN PIPITS .
Pipit photo: http://www.pbase.com/marvbreece/image/158194410.


The last place I visited was Wentzel Slough, where I spotted a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL atop a tree by the river. I whistled and it whistled back. Not every day you get to talk to a pygmy-owl.
Owl photo: http://www.pbase.com/marvbreece/image/158194411



Marv Breece
Tukwila, WA
marvbreece at q.com